START - Vulnerable YES, Perfect NO, Progress ALWAYS!

Thursday: 1/9/2020 - 1st day of new Semester - NC ~ 9:30 am

The Autism Educator - Dr. Smith - STARTED

As I gear up for another semester, as we start a new year, a new decade, so is my approach to a new perspective. Not a New Year, New Me perspective. But a perspective of: I unapologetically choose ME and will continue to choose me for peace and growth. As in any part of life communication is key to conveying your passion. 

A part of choosing me is accepting me. The good, the not so good and the acceptance & acknowledgement of being great. There are so many things that make ME, ME! I have anxiety, so I consider myself  HIP! Highly Intelligent Person with a Diagnosis.

There are so many factors that have allowed me to sit in this place. But as I sit here, I also realize... that there are SO many factors that allow me to sit in THIS place! I'll admit its not a bad place sit. But I know what's here. How do I find out whats over there, what's out there, if I don't move? 

MOVE? Mindset Overcomes Virtually Everything. I'm a believer in positive energy, it fuels my spirit. So how do I continue to make HIP MOVEs?

Practice: I listen to motivational speeches, videos etc. as I begin my day. 

📹YouTube Video: The Problem with Perfect - Motivational Video (5:05)

Page: Your World Within

This video led me to create this post! Why did it speak to me in such a way that I was catapulted into action? To Dive In? Because I felt like it was speaking to ME! There was so much Empowering Transformation, In spite of... material packed inside those 5 minutes!!

📹Video: At the start it speaks about if your work is not perfect you don't want it to be seen. Its a fear of putting yourself out there!

🙋YES that would be ME (the person that abandoned social media accounts years ago, but still does photo drops :-)

📹Video: It goes on to say. Perfection is a deceitful myth and detrimental to success. Our value does not lie in the false perception of chasing perfection, but in the reality of making progress. Perfection is an expectation that can not be satisfied. You aren't allowing yourself to dive in, because you are questioning your judgement. You are holding (you) back.  

😲 Nah that can't be. My anxiety disorder and Virgo traits tell me, I MUST get it right or it shall not be done!!

📹The video says: The only way to obtain excellence, is to move with what you have RIGHT NOW! 

😏 Hmmm, thats a thought! I've got a lot!  But what if something is wrong, spelled incorrectly, links broken.

📹Video: NO - You won't be flawless, but you can improve everyday. Some growth is better than no growth!

📹Video: Theres great benefit to throwing something against a wall and seeing if it sticks. If it does, great! If not, you regroup. reassess and throw it again! Thats growth!

😉 Really? Taking advantage of new opportunities is Growth? Creating new experiences is growth, giving yourself a chance to try things and determine what you like and don't like is growth? Reinventing yourself is growth? I've been doing this growth thing for a while. 

📹Video: Rome wasn't built in a day. You create buildings, you design roads, then those things converge. 

🗻I often tell my programming students that we are not building triangles to stand alone, we are building a pyramid. Each triangle is essential to the strength and success of that pyramid to stand. 

I want to ensure all my triangles have a solid foundation, so that when they converge my pyramid is structurally sound. 

📹Video: To get to that (next)  level you must allow yourself to be vulnerable. Step into the situation and Learn. EVOLVE into the vision you have for yourself.

📹Watching an interview with Ed Sheeran; Ed felt like his first shows and first music he made, wasn't great, but it got him where he is now. He wasn't intimidated to get out there and grow. Now he can reflect and joke about the journey - to success.

💁Vulnerable? Just start? Use what you have? Step into a situation? Learn? Evolve? 

As I sit behind my computer, drinking my Sugar Free White Chocolate Cappuccino from Quick Trip (QT). The only word that activates my anxiety, causes my heart rate to rise, my jaws to clinch is Vulnerable. 

Always wanting to understand, I looked up vulnerable at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vulnerable.

Definition of vulnerable. 1 : capable of being physically or emotionally wounded. 2 : open to attack or damage : assailable vulnerable to criticism. 3 : liable to increased penalties but entitled to increased bonuses after winning a game in contract bridge.

Words are a funny thing, kinda like art. Why, because no matter how much words are defined they are only understood to mean what the reader/listener hears. The speaker is the artist and listeners are our interpreters.  But like art, people interpret based on their exposure, understanding or personal references. 

I don't think I've ever thought of myself as vulnerable, because I associated the term with weakness. But in reading the definition I am now and have ALWAYS been vulnerable. It came with being human. I am always open to attack or damage, no matter where I am physically, mentally and emotionally. 

I remind myself to MOVE through every situation. Mindset Overcomes Virtually Everything. MY mindset takes this from the definition of vulnerable: Liable to increased penalties but entitled to bonuses after winning! I'm only competitive with myself, but I always play to WIN. So with much risk comes much reward. 

📹Video: Of all the creative things: the TRUST in myself to start, to begin, to acknowledge YES I am flawed, but I accept it. Because those flaws are the seeds that enable something truly unique to transpire. ...NOW comes the part I enjoy - the acquired wisdom to share with you. 

Never lose sight of a goal takes time, its something you grow in to. But 1st allow yourself to take that leap! The only "perfect" thing in existence is the current moment, because it is the 1st step to everything you ever want. 

👀 Here I am, starting - leaping, to Educate & Advocate for Autism & the special needs community! Empowering Transformation, In Spite Of my anxiety, being vulnerable, showing my flaws, accepting my perfect imperfections. Knowing that our journey is Unique and deserves to be shared because it CAN help! 

Realizing that the strength I gain from watching my Sydney's progress is Empowering Transformation, In Spite Of her micro-prematurity, her autism diagnosis, and the ignorance of the world towards the Autism Community. 

Starting by writing my 1st blog post, an old school girl in a digital world. Diaries and thoughts were something to be written and stored under lock and key not posted for the world to see.

WHY? Passion & Purpose

Starting because I have a passion and a purpose. I have passion for everything I do but there's no greater passion than that of being a mother. Sydney Lucille Alston is my motivation, passion & purpose. She's my reason WHY I started & she's my reason WHY I will never give up!! 

Of all the things I have accomplished in life, there has been no greater challenge than living in a neuro-typical world, being a single mom of a daughter that was born at 27 weeks, stayed in NICU for 3 months, was diagnosed with developmental delays and Autism Spectrum Disorder at 3 years old. Everyday brings challenge and growth. 

Definition of vulnerable. 3 : liable to increased penalties but entitled to increased bonuses after winning a game in contract bridge.

We (Sydney & Mommy) are vulnerable because we face increased penalties due to her diagnosis, but the strength I gain from being her mother is my increased bonus to share our story. If I can help anyone avoid some of the challenges of isolation & alienation we have experienced, I will. 

If I can change peoples minds about Autism, maybe I can change their actions towards Sydney. 

So I've STARTED! Vulnerable - YES, Perfect NO, Progress ALWAYS!!

What are you hesitant to START, to DO, to BECOME?

 Let The Autism Educator - Dr. Smith help you EMPOWER TRANSFORMATION, IN SPITE OF any obstacles.

Dr. Sharlene T Smith, Autism Educator & Sydney's Mom!